Z-5675-A Staff AnalysisFebruary 8, 2001
ITEM NO.: 6
FILE NO.: Z -5675-A
Nom: Philander Smith College - Conditional
Use Permit
LOCATION: 712 West 13th Street, bounded by Daisy
Bates Avenue on the south, 11th Street
on the north, Gaines Street on the east
and Chester Street on the west.
OWNER/APPLICANT: Philander Smith College / Fred Perkins,
Architect
PROPOSAL: To obtain a conditional use permit to
expand the facilities, buildings and
parking, at Philander Smith College
through a phased master plan on the
existing campus which is zoned
primarily R-4, Two Family Residential,
some C-3 General Commercial zoning, and
Capital Zoning for the southeast
corner.
ORDINANCE DESIGN STANDARDS:
1. SITE LOCATION:
The existing 26.8 acre campus is located on the north
side of Daisy Bates Avenue (previously 14th Street),
and bounded by 11th Street on the north, Gaines Street
on the east and Chester Street on the west.
2. COMPATIBILITY WITH NEIGHBORHOOD:
The school has existed at this site since the early
1880's, and though it has expanded since then, as far
as Staff is aware, it has been compatible with the
neighborhood. The surrounding zoning is a mixture of
residential, office, commercial, industrial, and
Capitol zoning scattered all around the perimeter of
this site. The majority of the abutting zoning is
commercial and office except for 2/3=d of the east side
which is bounded by the Mount Holly Cemetery in R-2
zoning.
February 8, 2001
ITEM NO.: 6 (Cont.)
FILE NO.: Z -5675-A
Based on the surrounding zoning and past history of
the school at this location, Staff believes this slow
expansion would present little adverse impact on the
surrounding neighborhood. The main streets of Chester
and Daisy Bates are 4 -lane and should be able to
handle the traffic. The existing Chester Street/I-630
interchange next door makes the site readily
accessible without having to use much of Chester or
Daisy Bates.
The Downtown and East of Broadway Neighborhood
Associations, all property owners within 200 feet, and
all residents within 300 feet that could be
identified, were notified of the public hearing.
3. ON SITE DRIVES AND PARKING:
The school uses primarily what previously were public
City streets as their on -campus drives. There are
several existing access points into the campus, but
only the one from Daisy Bates at Izard is open all the
time and manned with a security guard. The other gates
are opened as needed. The plan includes adding one
more access "day" gate at Daisy Bates and State Street
for only out -going traffic.
The ordinance standard for parking on college campuses
requires one parking space for each 300 square feet of
gross floor area or one space for every four students,
whichever is greater. The proposed enrollment change
would be an increase,of 450 students, which would
equate to 112 parking spaces. The proposed square
footage would increase the total building square
footage by 191,300 square feet, which would equate to
637 new parking spaces. The larger of the two figures
would be from the square footage figure and so the
ordinance required increase would be 637 spaces. That
would bring the parking total ordinance requirement to
1027 parking spaces. The proposal is for 804 total
spaces including the parking deck, and 75 of those
spaces would be off site across Chester Street at the
southwest corner of the campus. A variance would be
required for reduced parking.
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February 8, 2001
ITEM NO.: 6 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -5675-A
4. SCREENING AND BUFFERS:
Areas set aside for buffers and landscaping meet with
ordinance requirements. Newly landscaped areas will be
required to be irrigated.
Prior to a building permit being issued, it will be
necessary to submit an approved landscape plan stamped
with the seal of a Registered Landscape Architect.
5. PUBLIC WORKS COMMENTS:
a. Property frontage needs to have the sidewalks and
ramps brought up to the current ADA standards.
b. Repair or replace any curb and gutter or sidewalk
that is damaged in the public right-of-way prior to
occupancy.
c. Plans of all work in right-of-way shall be submitted
for approval prior to start of work.
d. Stormwater detention ordinance applies to this
property.
e. Improve alley and pave to 18 feet wide along new
parking area.
f. Driveways shall conform to Sec. 31-210 or Ordinance
18,031.
6. UTILITY, FIRE DEPT. AND CATA COMMENTS:
Water: No objection. Contact the Water Works
regarding the size and location of the water meter.
Contact Carroll Keatts, Water Works Cross
Connection Program Administrator at
371-1241 to discuss backflow prevention
requirements for this project. Relocation of any
public water mains will be at the developer's
expense. Existing public water mains may be
required to become private facilities. Existing
public fire hydrants may be required to become
private hydrants. The Little Rock Fire Department
needs to evaluate this site to determine fire
protection requirements.
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February 8, 2001
ITEM NO.: 6 (Cont.
Wastewater: Sewer
lines should be
on site. Contact
details.
FILE NO.: Z -5675-A
available, capacity of existing
checked prior to proposed expansion
Little Rock Wastewater Utility for
Southwestern Bell: No comments received.
ARKLA: Easements required. Reliant Energy Arkla has a
main located on south side of 12' Street between
Gaines and State. West of State this main is located
on north side 12th Street.
Entergy: Approved as submitted.
Fire Department: Approved as submitted. However,
contact Dennis Free, 371-3752, at the fire
department concerning fire hydrant placement.
CATA: Site is not on a dedicated"bus route and has no
effect on bus radius, turnout and route.
7. STAFF ANALYSIS:
The applicant has requested a conditional use permit
to approve a phased Master Plan for future
improvements on the existing school campus including
expanding the facilities, buildings and parking.
Philander Smith College has existed at this site since
the early 1880's, and though it has expanded since
then, as far as Staff is aware, it has been compatible
with the neighborhood. The site is zoned primarily R-
4, Two Family Residential, with the northeast and
southwest corners zoned C-3, General Commercial. The
surrounding zoning is a mixture of residential,
office, commercial, industrial, and Capitol Zoning
District scattered all around the perimeter of this
site. The majority of the abutting zoning is
commercial and office except for 2/3rd of the east side
which is bounded by the Mount Holly Cemetery in R-2
zoning.
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February 8, 2001
ITEM NO.: 6 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -5675-A
The Phased Master Plan includes the following
additions:
Phase 1: Library with parking, southwest corner of
existing campus.
Phase 2: Science and Health Mission Center, midway
along Chester, west side of campus, started within a
year.
Phase 3: Convert old gym in the center of the current
campus into a student recreational facility, date
unknown.
Phase 4: Construct Elijah Pitts Memorial Plaza, midway
along the south side of the campus, along Daisy Bates
Avenue, date unknown.
Phase 5 and beyond: Convert existing library into a
fine arts facility, convert old science building into
academic facilities and offices, construct additional
student housing, new president's home and academic
buildings as shown on the site plan. These changes
would occur in 2003 and beyond.
Most setbacks are met or exceeded except for the
parking structure on the northeast corner. Part of the
zoning there is C-3 which requires setbacks from all
streets to be 25 feet, and the interior setback to be
15 feet. The proposal shows only a 15 foot setback from
Gaines Street and 12 foot setback from the interior
property line which separates the school from the
Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church property. Those
reduced setbacks would require a variance, but Staff
would be comfortable with both reduced setbacks. The
use across the street is the cemetery, and Gaines
Street in this area serves as access to the frontage
road along I-630. The interior setback exists because
the Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church has
maintained its property inside the school property. The
church building is located on the opposite side of this
abutting church property, and actually the church uses
the existing parking lot for their parking area. They
would continue to use this area when it is expanded
into a 3 -level parking garage. Therefore, the slightly
reduced setback, 12 versus 15 feet, should not have any
adverse impact.
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February 8, 2001
ITEM NO.: 6 (Cont.) FILE NO.: Z -5675-A
The proposed building heights are another issue that
will require variances. The proposed new buildings vary
between 2 and 4 stories, between 40 and about 58 feet
tall, so the applicant is asking for a height variance
to allow a 60 foot height. The ordinance allows 35 feet
in R-4 zoning. The proposed structures will blend with
existing architecture which includes high sloped roofs.
The high roofs add to the overall height. There are
existing buildings on campus with similar heights.
Staff does not see an adverse impact given the
surrounding zoning and existing structures.
The last area requiring discussion is parking. The
parking requirement for a college is one space for each
300 square feet of gross floor area or one space for
every four students, whichever is greater. As discussed
earlier in section 3, the larger figure would be from
the square footage figure and so the required increase
would be 637 spaces. That would bring the parking total
requirement to 1027 parking spaces. The proposal is for
804 total spaces -including the parking deck, and 75 of
those spaces would be off site across the street at the
southwest corner of the campus. A variance would be
required for reducing the parking by 223 spaces. The
proposed ground level parking would provide a ratio of
1 space for 2.33 student/staff/faculty. Adding the
parking deck will reduce that ratio to one space for
every 1.62 student/staff/faculty. The ordinance
standard is based on a 1 for 1 ratio for students or on
square footage, whichever is larger. However, Staff
believes the proposed parking would be adequate for the
use, and therefore, the variance would be reasonable.
Overall Staff believes this proposed master plan
provides for reasonable growth on the existing campus
and should not cause much of an adverse impact on the
surrounding area. The phased approach will spread out
the changes and impact, if any, over several years.
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February 8, 2001
ITEM NO.: 6 (Cont.)
FILE NO.: Z -5675-A
8. STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the conditional use permit
subject to compliance with the following conditions:
a. Comply with the City's Landscape and Buffer
Ordinances.
b. Comply with Public Works Comments.
c. Comply with Fire Department Comment.
d. All exterior lighting must be low intensity and
directed downward and inward to the property and
not towards any residential zoned area.
e. Obtain approval from Capitol Zoning for the proposed
expansion in the area lying within their zoning
district.
Staff also recommends approval of the variances for
_,•. reduced setbacks to the east and west for the -parking
deck on the southwest corner of Gaines and Ilth Street;
increased height up to 60 feet for the new buildings;
and reduced parking to 804 spaces when all the proposed
additional parking is completed.
SUBDIVISION COMMITTEE COMMENTS: (JANUARY 18, 2001)
Fred Perkins, project architect, was present representing
the application. Staff gave a brief description of the
proposal and briefly reviewed the comments provided to the
applicant.
Mr. Perkins asked if the repair and upgrades noted in Public
Works' comments could be done along with the new
construction in each phase. Mr. Borkowski of Public Works
said they could. Public Works also reiterated the need to
improve the alley as the access to the parking lot on the
southwest corner of Chester and Daisy Bates. Mr. Perkins
agreed. The parking situation and requested variances were
also briefly discussed. The Committee and Staff were
comfortable with the requested variances.
There being no further issues, the Committee accepted the
proposal and forwarded the item to the full Commission for
final action.
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February 8, 2001
ITEM NO.: 6 (Cont.
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION:
FILE NO.: Z -5675-A
(FEBRUARY 8, 2001)
Fred Perkins, project architect, was present representing
the application. There were no registered objectors present.
Staff presented the item with a recommendation for approval
subject to compliance with the conditions listed under
"Staff Recommendation," paragraph 8 above.
The item was placed on the Consent Agenda and approved as
submitted to include staff comments and recommendations,
and variances for reduced setbacks to the east and west
for the parking deck on the southwest corner of Gaines
and 11th Street; increased height up to 60 feet for the
new buildings; and reduced parking to 804 spaces when all
the proposed additional parking is completed. The vote was
9 ayes, 0 nays and 2 absent.
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